272 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
Therefore, whether any particular State has a monarchical form of Government and the Ruler is a monarch or whether any particular State has a republican form of Government with a President or some other dignitary at the head of it, it really cannot make any difficulty at all in view of the fact that our definition leaves the matter to the Central Government to State who is to be regarded as the head of the State.
Coming to the position of the Indian Rulers, I have been asked to clarify one or two things. One is how long these privileges are going to last, and then, secondly, whether the privileges are personal privileges of the present, existing Rulers or whether they have any hereditary character which will pass on from father to son. My lawyer friends will realise that a lawyer never undertakes to solve a problem unless the problem is present to him, before him. No such problem is present before me and therefore I am not in a position nor willing to commit myself to any particular interpretation.
Mr. Deputy Speaker : It is there : Rulers for the time being.
Dr. Ambedkar : Yes, for the time being. Therefore, what I am saying is that this is a matter which is open to consideration, to revision, at all times. It is not a matter which has been so to say taken out of the purview of Parliament or of Government. If Parliament so chooses, it can decide that these privileges and immunities shall end because enough time has intervened for us to suppose that these enemies of the Indian Princes have died out or disappeared without leaving any kind of progeny to harass them further, or they may take the view that these privileges may be permitted to last till the life time of the present holder. Therefore, the issue is quite open, not a closed one.
With regard to the assurances that have been demanded from me on behalf of Government as to how Government propose to utilise this power of granting or refusing consent, speaking for myself, I cannot have the slightest doubt in my mind that any Government or a Member of Government who may be dealing with this matter would ever think it advisable or proper to withhold consent in a matter where the claim